St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1887-07-02

Pardon me for interfering with your
pleasure, but am in devil of hurry,
and | wish you would rush this for me-"
"Well, sir" said she, and her eyes
fairly flashed as she slammed her clenched
fist upon the desk 'this is the first
time | was ever cursed" and she said it
! in tones so defiant and so loud as to at
tract the attention of several passers.
;. two or three of whom stopped | felt
the blood pump from my heart into my
cheeks, and, recognizing the false posi-
ton | was placed in, | simply said: II
care to have no words with YOU. Just
send that message and hurry up" to
which, as she marked some cabalistic
figures upon the message, indicating by
no manner of means the exact time of its
filing, she replied, as parting shot: at
wouldn't be bad idea for you to study
manners"
Now look at this.
My message, as | said, was urgent. 1t
was a social message, and referred to the
departure of train within the ensuing
two hours. Experience teaches me, as it
does every one who is so unfortunate as
to depend upon the telegraph for city
service, that its delays are inexcusable
and most annoying. Recognize the he
cessity of rushing my message, and then
understand that l do not exaggerate
second when | say that at least seven
minutes of my time were wasted by the
two women who are paid to expedite my
desires, as we'll as those of the public in
general.
Can you imagine greater provoca-
ton?
1t has been nay custom for many years
to telegraph very largely to the papers
on which | work | have sent often
from ten to fifteen columns day, and
on many occasions have averaged six
columns day for fortnight at time,
and give it as my verdict that | have
had more mistakes made in the city ser
vice done by women in single year than
/ have had in all these years in messages
involving, as l have said, from 10000 to
100000 words at time. The last time
Barnum's circus was in New York tele-
graphed to my sister in Brooklyn, Send
the children over to 60 to the circus 1t
was delivered to her through women,
Send the children over to go to SYRIA
cuse." A short time ago had occasion to
telegraph to my house, ordering a dinner
for four. 1t was delivered, Have dinner
at four" and when with my four friends
reached my house | was met by my dis
mayed servant, who said in a whisper
redolent with apprehension, You or
dered dinner at four sir, and it is now
nearly half-past six Of course every
thing is spoiled"
Now, admit little things like this
are laughable, but are they not exasper-
ating?
The mistakes arising from inattentive
receivers and careless writers of the
female persuasion are multtudinous,
and now that the subject of sex is under
discussion by the companies and the
operators, heartily wish it could be ar
ranged so that the women could do the
office work, which is light, easy and
equally we'll paid, leaving the manipula-
ton and technical branches to men who
are naturally "in for life" and can be dis
ciplined without fear or danger of re-
morse.
Women as stenographers are as expert |
as men, but they are careless in writing
out and cannot be held to account as |
well. Then, too, if tardv or detained by /
illness or weather, they invariably plead .
their sex and that ends it. AS bookkeep- .
ers, yes; as typewriters, yes. | am also .
in favor of women as doctors for
l never could see the
necessity of employing man as !
doctor for women. 1t is quite as absurd
as it would be to have women doctor
men. There is a great deal of human
nature in people, and probably will be
for some time to come. There are GER
tain lines of labor in which men are the
better, and others in which women are
he better.
That is the story in a nutshell and
when the world arrives at that conclu-
sion women will have their "rights'-
md men theirs HOWARD.